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Earth & SpaceGrade 2Ea
rth &
Spac
e
Grade 2
Earth &Space
Grade 2 Science - Earth and Space
Big Idea
Content
Area of Learning: SCIENCE Grade 2
BIG IDEAS
All living things have a life cycle. (Questions to
support inquiry with students; Why are life cycles important? How are the life cycles of local plants and animals similar and
different?)
Materials can be changed through physical and
chemical processes.
Forces influence the motion of an object.
Water is essential to all living things, and it cycles through the environment.
(Questions to support inquiry with students; Why is water important for all living
things? How does water cycle through the environment?)
Learning Standards
Curricular Competencies Content
Students are expected to be able to do the following:
Questioning and predicting (*Cycles are sequences or series of events that repeat/reoccur over time. A subset of pattern, cycles are looping or circular (cyclical) in nature. Cycles help scientists make predictions and hypotheses about the cyclical nature of the observable patterns. Key questions about cycles: How do First Peoples use their knowledge of life cycles to ensure sustainability in their local environments? How does the water cycle impact weather?)
Demonstrate curiosity and a sense of wonder about the world
Observe objects and events in familiar contexts
Ask questions about familiar objects and events
Make simple predictions about familiar objects and events
Planning and conducting
Make and record observations
Safely manipulate materials to test ideas and predictions
Make and record simple measurements using informal or non-standard methods
Processing and analyzing data and information
Experience and interpret the local environment
Sort and classify data and information using drawings or provided tables
Compare observations with predictions through discussion
Identify simple patterns and connections
Evaluating
Compare observations with those of others
Consider some environmental consequences of their actions
Applying and innovating
Take part in caring for self, family, classroom and school through personal approaches
Students are expected to know the following:
metamorphic (metamorphic life cycles: body structure changes (e.g., caterpillar to butterfly,
mealworm transformation, tadpoles to frog)) and non-metamorphic (non-metamorphic life cycles: organism keeps same body structure through life
but size changes (e.g., humans)) life cycles of different organisms
similarities and differences between offspring and parent (a kitten looks like cat and a puppy looks like dog but they do change as they grow; salmon change a great deal as they grow and need fresh and salt water environments to survive)
Aboriginal knowledge (stewardship: sustainably gathering plants and hunting/fishing in response to seasons and animal migration patterns; sustainable fish hatchery programs run by local
First People) of life cycles physical (physical ways of changing materials:
warming, cooling, cutting, bending, stirring, mixing; materials may be combined or physically changed to be used in different ways (e.g., plants can be ground up and combined with other materials
to make dyes)) ways of changing materials chemical (chemical ways of changing materials:
cooking, burning, etc.) ways of changing materials
types of forces (contact forces and at-a-distance forces: different types of magnets; static
Transfer and apply learning to new situations
Generate and introduce new or refined ideas when problem solving
Communicating
Communicate observations and ideas using oral or written language, drawing, or role-play
Express and reflect on personal experiences of place
electricity; balanced and unbalanced forces: the way different objects fall depending on their shape (air resistance); the way objects move over/in different materials (water, air, ice, snow); the motion caused by different strengths of forces)
water sources (oceans, lakes, rivers, wells,springs; the majority of fresh water is stored
underground and in glaciers), including localwatersheds
water — a limited resource
the water cycle (The water cycle is driven by the sunand includes evaporation, condensation,precipitation, and runoff. The water cycle is alsoa major component of weather (e.g., precipitation,clouds).)
Suggested Ways to Engage Students in Science Inquiry: Driving question: How does water cycle through the environment? The Water Cycle a natural recycling process: the water cycle is a major component of weather Science World Experiments – Making Rain, Micro Water Cycle (needs small live plants), Water Cycle Circuit , Cloud in a bottle
Extra LRC materials available for supporting water experiments: Stream table, sand, trays, rocks etc.
Significant content: Water sources: Science World Experiments – Watersheds and Water Flow Water Cycles: kit books and posters for reference Water- a limited resource: Water Inquiry Lesson 1 & 2 included in kit. Why is water important for all living things? Why is it important to conserve water? How can we conserve water?
Core competency: ACTS water in Uganda. Non-profit society developed in the Comox Valley.
http://acts.ca/what-we-do/ Local example of problem solving, action and social responsibility.
Revision and reflection with a STEM process tool: Look Around…Ask Questions …. Get an Idea …… Try it out …… Think Again ……. Make Sense of it all
Suggested Ways to Embed Assessment for Learning Strategies: Learning Intention consider one of the core competencies: ~Connect and engage with others to share and develop ideas. Students engage in informal and structured conversations where they listen, contribute, develop understanding and relationships, learn to consider diverse perspectives, and build consensus.
I can connect and engage with others to share and develop ideas.
Building and respecting background knowledge: What water do you use each day? How is water important in your life? What do we think we know about water (chart)? What do we wonder?
“The most important single factor influencing learning is what the learner already knows. Ascertain this and teach…accordingly.” David Ausubel
Descriptive Feedback: Offer oral and written feedback in which the main purpose is to improve the student’s ability to perform tasks he or she has not yet attempted. “The only important thing about feedback is what students do with it.”
D. Wiliam Educational Leadership April 2016 Suggestions specifically for science: Ask open-ended questions and provide time for children to talk freely for a couple of minutes:
What could this question mean? How could we ever answer it?
What might a scientist do to understand this question/concept? Record thinking in a science notebook with entries that may include different kinds of science information, drawings, writing, charts and graphs. Share findings orally and when appropriate offer specific feedback around what students can do now, what they might be able to do in the future or their next steps. Ask your students – “How are you using the feedback I’m giving you to help you learn better?” If they can give you a good answer to that question, then your feedback is probably effective. D.Wiliam pg. 15
Suggested Ways to Weave Aboriginal Ways of Knowing within this unit: First Peoples Principles:
Learning supports the well-being of the self, the community and the land. Learning involves recognizing the consequences of one’s action.
Place-based experiences: Local watershed walk – interactive map booklet available http://projectwatershed.ca/komoks-estuary-map/ Comox Lake, Comox dam, Fish Hatchery, Dyke Road Estuary, local ponds/bogs (Wildwood), rivers, local school streams Acknowledge the local territory of the K’omoks Nation.
The role of indigenous knowledge: Emphasize the importance of “stewardship” of the land: the value of natural resources, sustainability and protecting the earth. First Peoples have a relationship with nature: the land, air, water, animals and plants. They value and respect the earth, taking only what is needed and giving thanks for all they have.
Literature tie-ins: (for more information see Learn71 link Teacher Resources /Aboriginal Education) Storm Boy by Paul Owen Lewis: In the storm-tossed seas along the rugged Northwest Coast, a Native boy is thrown from his
canoe into a great mystery which follows the rich mythic traditions of the Native cultures of this area. Cloudwalker by Roy Henry Vickers: In this legend, a Gitksan Indian hunter tries to catch a group of swans and is carried away
by the birds and dropped on the clouds. He wanders with a cedar box of water and spills the contents and when he returns to earth he finds lakes and rivers which weren't there before. Morning On The Lake by Jan Bourdeau Waboose: In the first of three linked stories, a young boy and his grandfather set out
in a birchbark canoe early one spring morning. Together, they discover the peaceful beauty of the lake. In the second story, the sun rises high in the summer sky as they climb a rocky cliff for a bird's-eye view of the land. And, finally, as an autumn night descends, they venture into the woods. Under the patient and gentle guidance of his grandfather, the boy gradually comes to respect the ways of nature and to understand his own place in the world
Resources Teacher Resources: ACTS water in Uganda. Non-profit developed in the Comox Valley. http://acts.ca/what-we-do/ Weather: https://scied.ucar.edu/webweather/clouds/cloud-types Investigating Water ~ Teacher’s guide http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/teaching/eecd/domains%20of%20child%20development/science/investigating_water_508checked.pdf
http://www.valueofwater.ca/teaching-resources/classroom-lessons/
Video links: Water sources Love your raindrop Comox Valley CVRD – trace a single drop of water as it cycles through our community https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYa0A3_Pa4g Video to accompany Water is Water by Miranda Paul http://mirandapaul.com/photos-and-videos/ Water cycle http://www.kidzone.ws/water/ http://video.projectwet.org/incredible-journey/ http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/science/weather-and-climate/water-cycle.htm http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/science/ecosystems/water-cycle.htm Student Resources: http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/science/weather-and-climate/water-cycle.htm -an illustrative video highlighting important facets of the water cycle Where does water come from, and where does it go? The Water Cycle is the endless movement of water around the planet. http://www.discoverwater.org/water-cycle/ Blackline Master: http://www.discoverwater.org/resources/Water_Cycle_Science_Notebook.pdf Seeing the water cycle in motion: https://www3.epa.gov/safewater/kids/flash/flash_watercycle.html Geography for kids: http://www.kidsgeo.com/geography-for-kids/0115-rain.php
Titles in kit:
1. Water sources (oceans, lakes, rivers, wells, springs; the majority of fresh water is stored underground and inglaciers):
Rivers, Lakes and Oceans by Jason D. Nemeth Pond Circle by betsy franco What is Water? by Rebecca Olien A River Ran Wild by Lynne Cherry Sources of Water by Rebecca Olien
2. Water – a limited resource:Liquid Planet by Tammy Enz Saving Water by Rebecca Olien Water Can Be by Laura Purdie Salas Water Dance by Thomas Locker A Drop Around the World
by Barbara Shaw McKinney All the Water in the World by George Ella Lyon
3. The water cycle:
-the water cycle is driven by the sun and includes evaporation, condensation, precipitation and runoff Water Cycle by Torrey Maloof Water is Water by Miranda Paul
-the water cycle is also a major component of weather (eg. precipitation, clouds etc.) The Water Cycle by Rebecca Olien
Your Water Footprint:
How is water important in your life? Yellow: I can do this independently.
Blue: I can do this with guided support.
Orange: I can do this with direct support.
Science Inquiry
(Do)
Evidence
I can demonstrate
curiosity about the
world.
I can ask questions
that help me
understand.
Science Content
(Know)
I can explain that
water is essential to
all living things.
I can explain how
water cycles through
the environment.
One thing that I learned or found interesting through this science inquiry:
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
How am I doing with my learning? What are my next steps?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Water Inquiry
Front load- co-constructing with students: What is curiosity? What does it look like? Sound
like? Feel like?
Big Idea: Water is essential to all living things… (UNDERSTAND)
Driving Inquiry Questions: Why is water important for all living things? How is water
important to all living things?
Content learning standards: First, knowing our water sources (oceans, lakes, rivers, wells,
springs…(including local watersheds…) then, understanding fresh water as a limited
resource…(DO)
Learning Targets: I can demonstrate curiosity and a sense of wonder about the world. I can
ask open-ended questions to gather information (critical thinking - questioning and
investigating) I can connect and engage with others to share and develop ideas
(communication) (KNOW)
Co-constructing ideas: What do you, the trees, and a hamster have in common? Give up?
You all need water. All living things must have water to survive, whether they get it from a
water fountain, a rain cloud, or a little bottle attached to the side of a hamster cage.
What do you wonder about water? How do living things depend on water?
What are our ‘whys’, our questions about water? Invite students to share their wonders…
hopefully eliciting questions like “Where does our water come from?” and we jot them
down…
Establishing a need to know: Share the Youtube clip Nature Is Speaking – Penélope Cruz- I
Am Water - A Conservation International video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwV9OYeGN88
(stop clip at 53 seconds in… where Penélope Cruz says “just there…”)
Shared Read: the story Water Dance by Thomas Locker…
Share and discuss the STEM Field Notes page: on the walk, students will be invited to
Notice – Look around and record observations; Wonder – Ask deep thinking questions; Think
– record personal connections/ideas…
An Investigative “Field study” walk - a walking field trip to the beach, with the driving
questions “What living things depend on the ocean?” “How do we as humans depend on the
ocean?” “What evidence can you find of living things depending on the ocean?”
Include a photography challenge component- when students find evidence of living things
depending on water, they can invite an adult to snap a photograph of it…
A fabulous place-based learning oportunity…Getting outside! Thinking like a scientist.-
Perhaps have the same frame to explore different water sources - oceans, lakes, rivers, etc…
Who relies on these water sources and how?
Once back to the school: Whole group sharing about their findings using the frame: (Notice-
observations, Think-Ideas, Wonder-Questions)
Closure: What can water be? Invite student ideas…(Water can be a drop…Water can be a
refreshing drink…)
Leading into next day where we will share the story Water Can Be by Laura Purdie Salas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljq0dokh-Sw
Invite students to brainstorm about “What can Water be?
Water Inquiry DAY 2
Big Idea: Water is essential to all living things… so let’s celebrate water!
Driving Inquiry Questions: What can water be? reflect on students’ ideas from last
day…(Water can be a drop…Water can be a refreshing drink…)
This lesson is inspired by Water Can Be… Classroom Guide
http://laurasalas.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Water_CG.pdf
Zooming in on…Water in our lives. One thing that inspired Laura Purdie Salas to write the
story Water Can Be was that we often only think of water as a liquid that we drink, or take a
bath in or swim in. But water is busy doing sooooo many things that we don't even think of!
Establishing a Need to Know: share the clip Water Can Be… Family Style where Laura
Purdie Salas shares about how her family uses water…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=by1Ye2Hi7fo&feature=youtu.be
Co-constructing ideas: As a group, brainstorm water-related words/activities. These could be
as basic as swimming or ice cubes to more distant things. Include fun activities like ice
skating as well as water’s more essential (necessary) purposes…consider tracking one
student’s entire day and see how water figures in… Further, brainstorm ways other living
things use water. Fish swimming, crabs crawling…
Share the story Water Can Be by Laura Purdie Salas
After reading Water Can Be, discuss what new roles of water and words to describe water
the kids learned from the book. And talk about what other things water does that didn’t make
it into the book.
Celebrate water: Invites students to celebrate water, using line, shape and colour…! Provide
each student with a piece of plain white 11X17 paper folded into 6 equal sections to plan their
ideas. Students will play with drawings and words to show what they think water can be…
For example, if you say “water,” and a student thinks “beach,” then sunscreen and flip flops
might be drawn—and that’s fabulous!
Once students have roughed out their ideas on plain 11X17 paper, provide them with
watercolour paper to lightly sketch their words and images. Next, students use watercolour
paint to finish their designs.
During the creative process, play Ocean Waves sound at the link below…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsDTJ__jioo
Closure: Share the YouTube video “Love your Rain Drop”
Have you ever wondered how our fresh water gets to us? Where does it comes
from? Follow "Murph" as he is transformed into a rain drop and put through the
streams, rivers, lakes and pipes of the Comox Valley water system. (video, 2:48)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYa0A3_Pa4g
Water SaversGo BackPrint
Introduction
According to the World Water Council, the average North American household uses over 300 litresof water a day. It’s easy to believe that water is an endless resource, especially if you live incoastal British Columbia, but that’s not the case.
This unit investigates the water cycle, which is the process water undergoes to get to our homes,as well as the importance of reducing water use to conserve it.
LIST OF ACTIVITIES
Water Cycle Game Watersheds and Water Flow Water Filtration Challenge Leaky Bucket Buddies Pop Bottle WaterCycling Terrarium Rain Gauge Bioremediation of Oil Spills
Objectives:
Describe the water cycle in simple terms.Describe a watershed and how water flows through the environment.Describe methods and the importance of water conservation.Describe the process of water filtration before it gets to homes and taps.Explore the effects of water pollution.
Describe what a rain gauge is and how it works.Make a terrarium.Outline the effect of oil spills and describe a simple bioremediation strategy.
Background:
How do we use water?
All living things need water to survive. Humans need between two and five litres of water everyday to replace the water that we breathe, sweat or urinate. Although we can survive for about amonth without food, we can only survive for five or six days without water. Our bodies are madeof about 60 per cent water. We get a lot of water from the food we eat, but most of it comes fromthe liquids we drink.
Not only do we drink water, we use it for agriculture, transportation, energy production, sanitation,manufacturing and recreation. Because of its importance in so much of our life, understanding itscycle and how we impact the cycle brings us closer to appreciating water and conserving it for thebenefit of future generations.
We use more water than we need. Water use statistics from Metro Vancouver show that theaverage resident uses about 325 litres of water each day—and much of it is wasted! All of thiswater comes from three separate reservoirs in the mountains. When we waste this water it is notonly a waste of precious water, but also of energy and other resources because all our drinkingwater goes through lengthy treatment before and after we use it. As our city populations continueto increase and our reservoirs remain the same size, water conservation has become more of animportant topic.
Where does our water come from?
In British Columbia, we’re fortunate to have access to plenty of clean water, but the water supplyisn’t limitless. Our sources of water are replenished by two methods: precipitation, and meltingsnow. Both of these vary seasonally, and year to year. We cannot use water at a faster rate thanthe water returns, or else we will be depleting our source of water.
Many places in the world are not as close to the source of their water, and although their water isreplenished by the same two methods, their water may have travelled hundreds or thousands ofmiles before it reaches their homes. For example, much of the interior provinces of Canada usewells, rivers or lakes as their source of drinking water. This water has travelled from mountains,into creeks, down waterfalls, through rivers, and may even be used by other cities along the way,until it finally reaches them. This factor of distance creates a stronger need for more advancedfiltering systems because the water will likely have picked up a lot of debris along its way.
What about the water cycle?
The water cycle, comprising of water that evaporates from rivers, lakes and oceans into cloudsand falls again as rain, provides Vancouver with an average of 1.58 meters of rain a year. This
amount of rainfall defines Vancouver as a rainforest climate. This is an abundant amount of rainfallcompared to dry African countries, or even compared to other parts of the province, like theinterior. While we get a lot of rain in Vancouver, it falls mostly in the winter. Throughout the winter,we collect this water in giant reservoirs and we rely on this collected amount to last through thehot, dry summers. Therefore, as our urban population increases, our demands on our reservoirswill also increase.
Ideas for conserving water:
Turn the tap on only to rinseyour hands—don’t let the waterrun.Run through the sprinkler onlyon your house’s watering day.Sweep instead of washing thesidewalk.Have a short shower instead ofa bath.Put a milk jug/weight in the toilettank to displace the water.Turn off the tap when you brushyour teeth instead of letting thewater run.Keep a water jug in the fridgeinstead of running the tap watertill it is cold.Use a bucket of water instead ofthe hose when washing your car.Wash dishes in the sink, but onlylet the water run for rinsing.Set the washing machine to theshort cycle.Change the washer on a drippytap.Collect rainwater for wateringyour garden.
Drink tap water, not bottled water.Research grey water systems and build your own.Use your bath water to flush your toilet.When it comes to your toilet water, if it’s yellow let it mellow, if it’s brown flush it down.
Vocabulary:
Activity Length:
10 mins.
Watersheds and Water FlowGo BackPrint
Introduction
In this demonstration, students will learn what watersheds are and how they impact our localwaters.
To understand the importance of water and water conservation, we must first understand howwater interacts with the world around us. This activity demonstrates how water moves, and howwater collects.
Most of the Earth’s water is found in the ocean. Water evaporates from the ocean, lakes andrivers and condenses into clouds. When these clouds fill with water, the water will eventually fallas precipitation. Precipitation can be rain, snow, hail or sleet. Once the rain hits the ground it willflow downward following the path of least resistance. For some of the water, this is in the form ofinfiltration, which means that the water flows through the soil to the ground water. For some waterthis is in the form of surface flow in creeks and rivers. In both cases, the water will continue toflow and pick up minerals, nutrients and pollution, until it reaches a body of water that is at lowelevation. For most water, this ends up being the ocean. Then, evaporation continues the cycle.
The direction of flow can therefore be predicted based on the ground’s elevation and soil type. Anarea where all water drains to the same river or body of water is called a watershed. A simpleway to imagine this is using a shower analogy. When water moves from the shower heads (and‘rains’), the water will hit the shower curtains, the walls and the bottom of the shower. All theareas that the shower head water hits is part of the same ‘watershed’, because it will all flowdown into the same ‘river’, the drain pipe.
In Metro Vancouver, there are three separate watersheds that we use to collect water into astorage body or reservoir. Over half of BC’s population uses these three reservoirs as our sourceof drinking water.
In our modern age, we transport water from one watershed to another in many ways.
We transport bottled water collected from one place and sent to another.We transport food full of water from country to country.We pipe water away from a watershed to be used in irrigation for our agriculture.
If we take water out of one watershed faster than it is replenished (by precipitation, or mountainglaciers melting) then our reservoirs will slowly decrease in size.
What To Do
Setup
1. Prop up both baking trays at an angle (~ 45°) using books to create one highelevation edge and one low elevation edge. Each baking tray represents a watershed.
2. Tape a piece of paper to the inside of each baking tray. Label these papers SOIL using theblack marker.
3. Add some plasticine to create mountains or landscape4. Put a few drops of food colouring on each piece of paper and around the plasticine. These
drops represent minerals, nutrients, or pollution.5. Pour 1 cup of water on the low edge of each baking dish. This represents a reservoir,
ocean, lake, or any body of water.6. Pick two volunteers, one for each watershed.7. Hand out a turkey baster or eye dropper to each volunteer.
Instructions
1. Using the turkey baster or eye dropper, have the volunteers suck up water from thereservoir at the lowest point of the watershed. This water is evaporating.
2. Then, have the volunteers release the water at the top most spot of the baking tray. Thiswater is raining back down.
3. Observe how the water flows downwards. Note that some water is infiltrated into the soil,and some flows on top flowing back down to the same body of water.
4. Have the volunteers repeat steps 13 a few times. Notice that as the water flows on thesurface and in the soil, it picks up some of the minerals, nutrients, and pollution found in thesoil. These minerals, nutrients and pollution all flow into the same body of water as well.
5. Then, have the volunteers suck up water from one body of water using both turkey basters.6. This time, release the water into the other watershed.7. Note that even though there is the same amount of water in total, by displacing the water,
one reservoir will decline in size.
Objectives:
Describe a watershed and how water flowsthrough the environment.Describe methods and the importance ofwater conservation.Explore the effects of water pollution.
Materials:
2 turkey basters or eye droppers2 cups of water2 deep clear baking trays2 pieces of brown paper1 bottle of food colouring4 thick books (at least 2 to help prop up eachtray)tape1 black markerplasticine for creating landscapes
Key Questions:
What is a watershed? How does water flowthrough its environment?Where does our pollution end up? Whatabout are litter, like our plastic bags?What are some ways that we may bedisplacing water and affecting our reservoirwater levels?Although we can reduce the amount of waterin a given area, will the water cycle stop alltogether?
Extensions:
Get a map of your region. Follow the flow ofwater through your closest watersheds.Where does the water start? Where does itend? Where does your drinking water comefrom? Where does your wastewater go?
Other Resources
Science World Resources | Full lesson & Other activities | Water Savers Science World at TELUS World of Science | Our World: BMO Sustainability Gallery
Activity Length:
15 mins.
Water Cycle CircuitGo BackPrint
Introduction
In this game, students act out the water cycle by becoming water molecules andsimulating evaporation, condensation and precipitation.
Earth is unique in that all three forms of water (liquid, solid and gas) exist here naturally. Heatingfrom the sun helps evaporate water from the oceans as a source for clouds and precipitation. Thesunpowered circulations of evaporation, condensation and precipitation move Earth's water fromthe oceans to the atmosphere to land and back. This is known as the water cycle.
The water cycle:
water evaporates and rises up into the atmospherein the atmosphere, the water cools and condenses to form cloudsprecipitation falls back to Earthwater collects into streams, rivers, lakes, etc. and is led by rivers to the oceansthe cycle starts again
Because water constantly moves through this cycle, the amount of water on our planet now is thesame as the amount that existed during the time of the dinosaurs. Water does not get “used up”and disappear; it is continuously replenished through the water cycle.
What To Do
Preparation
1. Set up 4 “stations” for game play. Draw, or use hula hoops or other gym equipment tocreate:
The ocean: an area large enough for all studentsRainclouds: several mediumsize circles large enough to hold six studentsMountains: several triangles or one large designated areaRiver: draw or place the traffic cones in a meandering line between the mountains andthe ocean.
Game
1. Use pinnies to identify 34 students as seedlings (S). Seedlings start along theriver,crouched in a ball with their elbows sticking out.
2. All other students will represent molecules of water and start at the ocean.3. The game begins with water molecules in the ocean “evaporating” by running to the
rainclouds.4. When six water molecules meet inside the clouds, they can link arms to “condense” into a
raindrop and “precipitate” by moving as a group to the mountains station. (Groups of fewerthan six students must wait in the clouds for more “water molecules” to join them andbecome a raindrop.)
5. From the mountains, the water molecules can travel individually to flow down the river to theocean, tagging the seedlings’ elbows along the way. Once in the ocean, the cycle begins
Objectives:
Describe and illustrate the water cycle andassociate parts of the cycle with weatherconditionsObserve and describe changes to theproperties of water when it is heated orcooled and associate these changes withweather conditions
Materials:
sidewalk chalk OR 10–12 hula hoops8 or so traffic cones4 pinnies (optional)
Key Questions:
Why do the game rules require 6 waterdroplets to collect in a cloud before they canmove to the next station? What part of thewater cycle does this represent?Where do the water droplets spend most oftheir time?Why is the water we use now the samewater that has been on Earth since it wasformed?
Extensions:
Where else could water collect besidesmountains and rivers? Create a morecomplex game using other water collectionpoints such as lakes, glaciers and evenanimals.
anew.6. Each seedling must be tagged 20 times in order to sprout into a fullgrown tree, whereupon
the “tree” student stands up. The game ends either when all seedlings have sprouted orafter a certain time limit is reached.
Teacher Tip: To simplify the game for younger grades, play the game with only 2 stations: theocean and the rainclouds. The seedlings can only be tagged by droplets moving from the clouds tothe ocean.
Other Resources
Science World Resources| Full Unit| Weather Science World Resources| Full Unit| Water Savers Science World at TELUS World of Science | School Programs | Whether the Weather
Activity Length:
1 hour
Micro Water CycleGo BackPrint
Introduction
Create a complete ecosystem within a terrarium and explore the water cycle as it occurs at yourdesk! Heat from outside the jar will warm up the water in the "minilake", causing it to evaporate.As the water vapour cools on the lid, it will condense and precipitate (rain) down on the soil andthe lake, and the water cycle will start all over again.
What To Do
1. Layer the following in the bottom of the jar: stones, 1 cm deep; sand, to cover stones; soil,about 10 cm deep.
2. Create a nice arrangement for the plants and bury the roots in the soil. Don’t crowd theplants!
3. Sprinkle a small amount of water over the plants and soil.4. Fill the shell or cap with water to create a "minilake" in the terrarium. 5. Keep the terrarium in a shady place and watch what happens over the next few days.
Objectives:
Describe phases of the water cycle
Model the water cycle
Materials:
Commercialsize mayonnaise jar with screwon lidSmall stonesSandPotting soilSmall plants such as mosses, ivy, baby fernsor other plants found in the woodsA shell or large bottle capWater
Key Questions:
What causes the water to turn into watervapour?
Extensions:
Experiment with a warmer or cooler "climate".How does that affect the speed of the watercycle?
What do the plants need to grow?
Experiment with changing the soil type – mixthe sand with the soil or change the amountof water added.
Other Resources
Science World at TELUS World of Science | Galleries | Search: Sara Stern Gallery
Science World at TELUS World of Science | Galleries | Our World: BMO Sustainability Gallery
Science World at TELUS World of Science | Galleries | Ken Spencer Science Park
Activity Length:
5 mins.
Making RainGo BackPrint
Introduction
In this activity students observe water move through the states of matter, evaporating, condensingand precipitating.
Water is constantly in motion. From its liquid form found in places like the ocean, polar ice caps,rivers and lakes, it travels into the air as water vapour forming clouds, and then it falls back toEarth as precipitation (sleet, snow and rain). This is called the water cycle.
The water cycle is made up of a few main parts:
The water cycle:
water evaporates and rises up into the atmospherein the atmosphere, the water cools and condenses to form cloudsprecipitation falls back to Earthwater collects into streams, rivers, lakes, etc. and is led by rivers to the oceans the cycle starts again
Although this happens on a huge scale, we can recreate the water cycle using items you have inyour kitchen. Try this demonstration and then discuss how it illustrates the water cycle.
What To Do
1. Boil water in the kettle. The steam (water vapour) coming out of the kettlerepresents evaporation in action.
2. Put some cold water and ice cubes into the pie plate.3. Put on oven mitts and hold the pie plate just above the steam. 4. Watch as the cold pie plate causes water vapour to condense and form droplets on
the bottom of the plate. Some of the droplets will become large enough to fall—just like rain!
Objectives:
Describe and illustrate the water cycle andassociate parts of the cycle with weatherconditions.Observe and describe changes to theproperties of water when it is heated orcooled and associate these changes withweather conditions.
Materials:
electric kettle1L waterpie plate or cake tiniceoven mitts
Key Questions:
How is this model like the water cycle?What does the water in the kettle represent?What part of this set up is like the sun?Where are the clouds in the model?How can you make a rain shower developmore quickly?Can you affect the size of the drops that fallfrom the saucepan?Can you create a downpour?
Extensions:
Make a rain gauge to understand how muchrain falls in your community.Discover the amount of rain that falls in acoastal rainforest.Explore conduction, convection and radiationand how temperature influences weather.
Other Resources
Science World Resources| Full Unit| Weather Science World Resources| Full Unit| Water Savers Science World Resources | Watersavers | Rain Gauge Science World Resources | Rainforests | Rainfall Gordon R. Gore | Catalyst for Science | Temperature (Lesson 1) Science World at TELUS World of Science | School Programs | Whether the Weather
Activity Length:
30 mins.
Leaky Bucket BuddiesGo BackPrint
Introduction
In this game, students learn of the accumulative effect of small leaks as two teams race againsteach other to fill a pail with water. One team has secret, small leaks in their buckets and so willbe at a disadvantage. This game leads to a discussion of the importance of water conservation.
We’re very lucky to have running water in our homes. The United Nations' World HealthOrganization (WHO) says that more than one billion people, 20 per cent of the world’s population,don’t have water that’s safe for drinking, personal hygiene and domestic use. What’s more, nearly3 billion people don’t have adequate sanitation facilities.
Even though a drop of water does not seem like a lot, a dripping tap can waste more than 190 Lof water a day. That’s the same amount of water as:
Flushing a toilet eight or more times.Running a dishwasher twice on full cycle.Taking one 19 minute shower.
Although it seems like there is water everywhere, especially during rainy seasons in Canada, it isnot always easy to conserve and store large amounts of water. The water we store in reservoirs,or use in rivers and ground water systems, is replenished at a specific rate depending on howmuch mountain ice melts and how much it rains. This makes it possible for us to use water at aquicker rate than it is replenished. With an increasing population and increasing water demand,this becomes a greater issue. When we reduce the water we use or prevent wasteful use of
water, we can sustainably help keep our water sources around for generations.
What To Do
Setup
1. Fill 2 of the buckets with equal amounts of water.2. Place empty buckets at one end of the classroom.3. Place full buckets opposite the empty ones.4. Divide the class into two teams.5. Hand out the yogurt containers to students. One team should receive the intact containers;
the other team should receive the leaky containers. Keep this a secret.
Instructions
1. Have students form a line with their team between a full bucket and an empty one.2. The students closest to the bucket full of water starts by scooping water into his/her
container and pouts it into the next student’s container.3. Have students continue to pass water along the line. The last student pours water into the
empty bucket.4. The winning team is that which can fill the empty bucket the fullest. A second round can be
done trying to fill the bucket the fastest.
Teacher Tip: Test out the containers before the challenge. The leaky containers should not beable to fill the bucket as full as the good/nonleaky containers.
Objectives:
Describe methods and the importance ofwater conservation.
Materials:
Per student:yogurt container (half with holes discreetlypoked through the bottoms)
Per class:4 large, identical bucketswater
Key Questions:
Why does one bucket fill up faster thananother?Can you think places that leak water in theschool? At home? What can we do to fixthese leaks? Is it expensive?
Extensions:
Discuss the impact of the leaks. What doesthis represent?Start a campaign at your school on simpleways for everyone to reduce the amount ofwasted water.As a class or school Green team/club, sharewhat your class/school is doing to reduce theamount of water you all waste. Submit yourplan and followup actions as a BC GreenGames project.
Other Resources
Science World Resources | Full lesson & Other activities | Water Savers Science World at TELUS World of Science | Our World: BMO Sustainability Gallery
Science: A cloud in a bottle experiment
In this post I will show you how to make your own cloud in a bottle and atthe same time learn how they are formed.
First you will need:
A Clear Two Litre Bottle A Match Water
Right now for the FUN… STEP ONE Take the bottle and put 2cm of water in the bottom. STEP TWO
With the lid off the bottle, light a match let it burn for a second and then blow it out and drop it intothe bottle. You can also try dropping the match straight into the bottle as the water and the lack ofoxygen will put out the flame.
REMEMBER: BE CAREFUL NOT TO BURN YOURFINGERS. CHILDREN SHOULD HAVE A RESPONSIBLE ADULTSUPERVISING AT THIS POINT.
STEP THREE Tighten the cap of the bottle tightly and as quickly as you can after dropping in the match. STEP FOUR Squeeze the bottle REALLY HARD for about 510 seconds while, at the same time, giving it a swirl.
STEP FIVE Stop squeezing the bottle and let it go allowing it to expand. What do you see? You should be able to see a cloud in the bottle. If you squeeze the bottle again it will disappear andthen when you let it go your cloud will reappear. MAGIC! What is happening? In short what is happening is smoke particles are floating around above the water. When yousqueeze the bottle the temperature in the bottle increases, this makes some of the waterevaporate. When we let go of the bottle the water condenses small water drops condense on to thesmoke particles and this is what forms the cloud. Why do we use the match? It’s because water molecules find it hard to condense in clean air, they need something to cling onto so in this experiment we gave it smoke! Real clouds do the same sort of thing however they cling to things like: dust, pollen andpollution. Fog works in the same way too.
Did you know that an average cloud is made up of billions of waterdroplets?
A Teacher’s Guide to
All the Water in the World
Written by George Ella Lyon
Illustrated by Katherine Tillotson
Discussion Questions
1. Before reading All the Water in the World, talk about the water you and your students use every day. What are sources of water in your home and at your school? How does water help you accomplish what you need to do every day?
2. Ask your students what feelings they have after reading or listening to All the
Water in the World. What words, rhythms, and images create these feelings?
How do they reflect our vital relationship with water?
3. Author George Ella Lyon says in the book, “Water doesn’t come. It goes.
Around.” What did you know about the water cycle, or the continuous
movement of water in the world, before you read this story? What did you
learn about the water cycle after reading the book? Talk about how the words
and illustrations in the book help you to better understand the Earth’s water
cycle.
4. Every living thing on the Earth needs water to thrive and survive. Name some
living things found around your home or school that depend upon water. Do all
use water the same way?
5. Ask your students how the weather affects the Earth’s water supply in good
and bad ways. Discuss the different climates in the world, and the importance
of rain. If it’s raining at your house, does that mean it’s raining in every place
all over the world? Why or why not?
6. Author Lyon writes with strong, dramatic words in this story, yet she also uses
softer, more comforting language at times throughout the book. While
reading, ask your students to point out examples of both in the book.
7. Katherine Tillotson’s beautiful illustrations show places that have a “wealth of
water,” but also places where “dry grasses rustle” and “dirt’s just dust.” Taking
a close look at colors and movement, how do her illustrations differ for each
place? How does she make water flow through the book? How does she stop
and start it before and after the desert scenes?
8. One of the messages in All the Water in the World is that it’s important to
conserve, or save, water. What are some ways people waste water? How can
you protect your water supply by making better decisions about your water
use?
9. What if there was a drought where you live or the water was turned off for
some other reason—a chemical spill, for example—what would you do? How
do we take water for granted? Do you think water will always be available?
Why or why not?
10. What is your favorite activity involving water? Brainstorm the many ways you
can play, create, and explore with water. Can you have fun with water only
when the weather is warm?
11. The last page of All the Water in the World says “keep Earth green!” How does
water keep the Earth green? What are some things you can do to keep the
Earth green?
Further Activities and Research
1. Identify sources of water in your town or school community. Do you live near the
ocean, a lake, a river, a pond, or a stream? Find out what kinds of creatures,
plants, and other living things depend on these water sources to live.
2. Be a meteorologist! Beginning on a Monday, have your students create a
weather forecast for the week. Kids can predict the weather by watching the
local weather report on TV, listening to the radio, consulting a weather website,
or looking in the newspaper. On Friday, take a look back at their forecast. Did it
turn out to be accurate, or did the weather change throughout the course of the
week?
3. Conduct some simple science experiments involving water in your classroom:
a. Adopt a houseplant for your classroom. For one week, ask your students
to water the plant on a regular basis, and then record how the plant
responds. The next week, tell your students not to water the plant
regularly, noting the results. What happens to the plant in both cases?
b. Demonstrate the evaporation of water, part of the water cycle. Place a
shallow dish of water on a bookcase or windowsill in your classroom.
Have your students observe what happens to the water after a period of
time. Where does the water go?
4. Earth Day is celebrated on April 22 of every year. Find out why and when Earth
Day began. Even though Earth Day is commemorated in April, how can you and
your students celebrate Earth Day every single day of the year?
5. As a class, come up with some ideas on how to conserve water. Then have each
student create a poster demonstrating these ideas. Hang the posters in the
hallways of your school to encourage other students to conserve water as well.
6. All the Water in the World asks the question: Where does water come from? Do
your students really know? Have each student find out more about their local
water supplies. Ask them to find answers to the following questions: What is the
source of their local water? How does water travel from the source to their
homes? How does water enter and exit their homes and your school?
7. Sing or listen to songs about water in your classroom. Choose some standards,
such as “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” and “Rain, Rain, Go Away,” but also
encourage your class to find some other water-themed songs, classic or current.
8. Taking a cue from author George Ella Lyon, ask your students to create a poem
based on water. Then, have them illustrate their poems in the style of Katherine
Tillotson. Try a group poem, gathering images from each student and making a
mural with words and pictures.
This guide has been provided by Simon & Schuster for classroom, library, and reading group use.
It may be reproduced in its entirety or excerpted for these purposes.
An electronic copy of this teacher guide can be found on Learn71 athttps://portal.sd71.bc.ca/group/wyhzgr4/Pages/default.aspx
Contributors: Cheryl Adebar, Thea Black, Noah Burdett, Doug David, Kara Dawson, Colleen Devlin, Allan Douglas, Gerald Fussell, Nora Harwijne, Sarah Heselgrave, Debra Lovett, Kim Marks, Gail Martingale, Dale Mellish, Heather Mercier, Jane Rondow, Teri Ingram, Debbie Nelson, Joan Pearce, Stewart Savard, Laura Street, Lynn Swi, Carol Walters.
School District No. 71 (Comox Valley) grants permission for teachers to use these resources for educational purposes.
Published July 2016
